Declan's Revenge
by nurzubesuch
Summary: Exactly what the title says ... though maybe not what you might think.
1. I should have known better than that

**I should have known better than that**

It had started as a regular quiet evening. Slightly boring but otherwise completely all right. He had gotten himself some ice creme, the last rest he had had in his fridge but somehow his savior because he had felt such a sudden appetite for it that he wondered how it could have happened that there was so less left in his, his! fridge. But man, he really needed some yummy ice creme with chocolate sauce. He had just prepared his bowl with it – all on his own, because Chuy, his pastry chef, was already home – when it rang at the door. And that was the moment the trouble started.

Not knowing that of course, he had answered the door. It was a surprise to see these two in his door after such a long time, but somehow he had been glad to see them again. Having these two around meant fun and sometimes action and that was something he would not be averse to this evening. As soon as he had his ice creme of course. But as it seemed there was not so much time for that. He could tell from their body language. Something was up.

„Hi, Declan." was the rushed greeting from Santa Barbara´s most favourite fake psychic. „I´ll come straight to the point. We need your help. Like now."

Of course it had been about a case. Declan had agreed to help them even before he had had a chance to open his mouth and tell them so. They could have told him everything and he would have done what they asked him to – as long as he didn´t brake any laws with it of course. But his time as a fake profiler, as short as it had been, was still a memory he mourned sometimes. It had been fun to do this job and there were days when he really missed it to hunt down criminals with is skills of analysing their behaviour. He also remembered the few adventures he had had with Shawn and Gus, even if they had been slightly exaggerated. But hey, he was a millionaire, he could afford it to exaggerate from time to time. So when the two psychic detectives stood in his door and asked him for help to find a missing woman, he was immediately with them. His ice creme could wait until he switched on his terminal.

„The guy that was her boyfriend told Lassie in the interrogation, that he buried her alive." Shawn told him while wagging on his place nervously. „We need to find her before she runs out of air."

Declan had started his terminal to activate the heat seaker. „Did he say in which area?" he asked.

„Somewhere near the beach." Shawn told him and Declan immediately started to search. He felt the same excitement he had always felt when he had been chasing a criminal. After a while he found a heat signature where no house should be and where it was rather unlikely that someone was lying there in the middle of the night. He zoomed in closer to the thing that was there until he was absolutely sure.

„I found her." he called and suddenly wondered where Shawn was. Gus seemed surprised over his friend´s disappearing too. When they called him again he came rushing back to them, a bowl and a spoon in his hand.

„Is that my ice creme?" Declan asked.

„I found it on the kitchen table." Shawn said. „I was so nervous and I thought … before it melts. Uh great, you found her. That´s great." With that he immediately took his cell phone out and called the chief of police. He told her he had had a vision where the victim was and that they should send someone there immediately.

„Thanks Declan." he said when he was done. „You probably saved this girl´s life."

„No problem." Declan said. „Let´s go."

„Wow, what do you mean?" Shawn hold up his hands. „You want to come with?"

„Of course." Declan said, not understanding Shawn´s reaction.

„Oh, wait. I´m just getting something." Shawn claimed and raised his hand.

„Shawn." Gus cried to remind him that this gesture was a lost course in this room. The fake psychic looked into both of their faces and at last lowered his arm with a chuckle.

„Sorry." he said. „Old habit. I meant I just recalled something and this is very important. This guy told Lassie that he has a computer in his second appartement. There are datas on it that can prove his criminal activities. But he said that he had such a program on it … you know, one of these things that destroy the datas so no one can read them anymore. He said he started that before we got him." „A program like that works not too quickly." Declan mused.

„Could it be stopped?"

„I could stop it if I would be there in time."

„Great." Shawn cried. „But the girl."

„Give me the address and I take care of the computer." Declan offered eagerly. „You two drive to where the girl is. Tell them where to find her with whatever you do to fake that stuff of yours."

„Dec, you are a grenade." Shawn said and gave him the address. „The ice creme was fabulous by the way." he told him and then they were already on their way out. Shawn and Gus heading for the beach and Declan in his jaguar heading for the hillside of Santa Barbara to the address Shawn had given him. He drove that fast that he even got himself a ticket for breaking the speed limit. But that was something he could afford easily with all the millions he had. This was something important and very urgent and way more fun than his evening would have been if he had stayed home. So he drove on until he reached the place. The thing was, that there were no houses. Not even gardens. It was nothing but a deserted road.

Declan checked his GPS in case he might have mistaken the street but there was only one of that name all over Santa Barbara. Had Shawn made a mistake? Very unlikely. He tried to call him but got no answer. Eventually he drove back and to the police station. What he learned when he got there was a shock. Not because of what had happened, but because he hadn´t foreseen it. He had claimed to be the great profiler who could see through everybody, every lie and every kind of deceive. But this one he hadn´t realized … until now.

Shawn had lied of course. There had never been a computer or a second appartement. He had sent him, Declan, to a random place, where he knew that there would be nothing, while he and Gus had led the police to the girl … and played the heroes. When Declan came to the station the girl had been rescued and they were in the process of congratulating each other for the good work. Everybody reacted surprised and startled to see _him_ there. Shawn was no exception. He looked at him as if he hadn´t seen him in months. What would be true if he hadn´t been in his house only an hour ago to ask for his help. Declan just couldn´t believe it.

„Declan." Juliet said obviously uncomfortable about his sudden appearance. „What are you doing here?"

For a moment Declan was intrigued to tell her that Shawn had asked for his help to find that girl. That it had been his computer that had found her not Shawn´s faked visions. But then he didn´t. He had once given a promise and he was a man that stood to his promisses. Instead he said vaguely: „I just came here to see Shawn." and threw a meaningful glance at the fake psychic.

Shawn reacted completely innocent and surprised but came with him down the hall where they could speak in privat.

„What was that, Shawn?" Declan demanded an explanation. „I helped you. And what are you doing?"

„Sorry, man." Shawn said, an apologetic smile on his lips. „I guess I made a mistake. I was totally confused you see. This thing with the computer … that was from a completely different case, we are working on. I have no idea how I could mix up these two things."

Declan looked into those reckless hazel eyes and of course he understood. How could he have been so blind?

„Of course." he said nodding. When Shawn just shrugged as if to say: Happens to everyone, Declan shook his head. „You just didn´t want me to be there and steal your show." he cried suddenly very angry.

Shawn flinched and looked around, afraid somebody could hear them, what they did. Lassiter, Juliet, Gus and some others were looking in their direction. Shawn gestured for Declan to keep his voice down.

„All right, all right." he hissed. „I´m sorry."

„No, Shawn." Declan said. „That was not nice of you. I helped you."

The last words he had shouted again and again Shawn flinched and looked around to make sure no one was paying too much attention. But of course they did. Lassiter had even started to approach them to see what the hell was the problem.

„Could we talk about that later?" Shawn asked Declan. „Where we have less audience?"

„I don´t think that there is anything left to talk about." Declan said. „I already know everything there is to know. I should have known you better but I made the mistake to fall for your tricks. Its my own fault."

These words seemed to startle Shawn a little because he didn´t know what to say anymore. Declan took that as a cue that the talk was over. He didn´t want to talk anymore anyway. So he left. That had not been the way he had expected his evening to go. Behind him he could hear Shawn call loudly after him: „Get over it, Dec, and leave her alone. Find another drawer to sniff around in. This one is not yours to sniff anymore."

For a moment Declan stopped in his tracks and turned back to him in disbelieve. This guy truly had the nerves to pretend in front of the whole station that he, Declan, had come here to argue with him about Juliet. After such a long time? Declan was so close to run back in there and punch him. But then he swirled back around and stormed out. He just wanted to go home have a hot shower and then go to bed.

But like always when he was in a bad mood it didn´t quiet come to what he had planned to do. He was so angry that he didn´t feel like showering any more when he came home and sleeping was definitely not on top of the list that was going to happen any time soon. It was half past nine but it could have been half past one and he still would have felt like a rocket ready to go postal. Damn he hated it to be fooled like that. Especially when he should have known better than to fall for it. He had helped him, for cry out loud. He had kept his stupid secret and he had stepped aside peacefully when Juliet had broken up with him to come together with this overgrown kid. He had never hold a grudge against any of this so far. But this … he had even eaten his last bit of ice creme. And he had felt such an appetite for it. He still did. Oh, sometimes he hated Shawn Spencer.

Okay that was not true. So far he had never felt that way, but man he did now. God if he could only get back at him for that somehow. Nothing big, just something to teach him a lesson. Just something to let him know that one couldn´t fool a Declan Rand without consequences. But how? How could he do that?

He walked up and down in his kitchen and tried to think. That was how he dealt with stress. He had to use his brain. Had to exercise his mind with something. And spinning a plan to get back at Shawn for this mean prank was the best mindgame he could think of in this moment. This guy came to his house. Asked for his help. He stole his girlfriend, for gods sake and he still had helped him. He even allowed him to eat his last ice creme and got himself a ticket in his effort to help him and then he laughed into his face and had the nerves to talk about a stupid mistake. It wasn´t about the ice creme or the ticket. That was something Declan could get over. But this arrogant smile in Shawn´s face … together with that claim that he had been there because he was jealous … as if he was mocking him with the fact that Juliet had deselected him and chosen Shawn instead. God, Declan was not a violent guy but in this moment he had been close to hit him.

He had not made a thing out of the reveal of him not being a real profiler, what Shawn had had his part in. He had not even made a big deal out of the stealing his girlfriend thing – not really – and that was something other guys might hold a grudge for. He had not given him any reason to treat him like that. Dammit. If there was just something he could do. He knew the guy better than he knew himself. At least partly. He knew exactly how to push to make him jump. He knew his greatest skills (his intelligence and his flexibility) and his biggest fears (failing and losing control of his life) since he had met him the first time. And he knew his biggest mistake: his recklessness. The guy just believed that no matter what he did, nothing would ever effect him. No consequences for the great Shawn Spencer. But not anymore. Something had to be done. And suddenly Declan knew exactly what he could do. And how. But he couldn´t do that alone. He would need help. And he knew exactly who could help him.

He went onto his huge sitting room and got his wireless phone. The number was easy to find, since she was listed in the book. Declan just hoped she would still be awake. It was almost ten by now. But he just couldn´t wait till tomorrow. He needed to do this now or he would explode. After five rings he got an answer.

„Hello."

„Hello, Miss Lytar." Declan greeted relieved. „My name is Declan Rand. You don´t know me but I´m a friend of Shawn Spencer."

„Shawn? What about him?"

„I hope I didn´t disturb you." Declan apologized. „I know its kinda late. But I hope you could help me with something."

„What is it?"

Declan told her what had happened, neatly avoiding the part about the faked vision, but she got the meaning of what Shawn had allowed himself to do to Declan.

„I understand your feelings." she said at last and he believed that she did. She sounded like a very caring person and that alone assured him that he had called the right person. „That was not nice of him." she agreed with him. „But I don´t see how I could help you."

He explained to her what he had in mind. After he was finished there was a long pause on the other end. He didn´t ask if she was still there. He knew she was. She was just uncertain and that was understandable. Eventually she said: „I don´t know. That sounds rather … I don´t know. Illegal."

„Please, Miss Lytar. Give me a chance to convince you. To explain myself to you. In detail. That was just a nutshell of what I have in mind."

„I don´t know." she said again.

„Would it be possible that we meet?" he asked. „If it isn´t too late I mean."

„I don´t know. I mean …" she chuckled over her own lack of another phrase. „I guess I could arrange that. Where?"

He told her the place and she agreed to meet him. But she emphasized that she couldn´t promise anything. If he couldn´t convince her, she would leave. He said that was okay with him and then he hung up. He was sure he would convince her anyway. He just had to. And he would. No matter how.

* * *

><p><strong>All right, people. You can guess that there is some interesting trip ahead. Let me know what you think about it so far.<strong>

**And thanks for reading.**


	2. Latenight Call

**Late night call **

Shawn had just fallen asleep when his cell phone´s ring tone woke him up from a nice dream he had been about to slip into. He opened his eyes and waited a moment until his heart stopped racing. Then he reached out his hand to switch on the nightlight and then he took his cell. It was half past one a.m.

„Yeah." he groaned. Instead of an introduction of who was calling him, he got hysterical weeping in his ear. „Hello?" he asked confused. „Who´s that?"

„Its me, Shawn." he heard a familiar voice and immediately he was sitting bolt upright.

„Abigale?" But instead of giving a response she only kept sobbing. „Abigale, what´s the matter?" he asked, already guessing the worst scenarios. A robbery, a burglary, rape … oh, god please not rape. „Abby, talk to me." he cried.

„Oh, Shawn." she sobbed. „I need your help. I didn´t know who to call." and then she sobbed again.

„What happened?"

„Oh, god." she cried. „Oh, god, I killed someone."

„What?"

„Ehem." she sobbed. „I know it. He´s dead. Oh, god, Shawn. I don´t know what to do."

„What happened? Was it self defence?"

„Yeah. Oh, please you´ve got to believe me. I didn´t want to kill him. But he wouldn´t let go and I … I was just …"

„Its okay, Abby. Calm down. Where are you?"

„At the cliff." she said and somehow managed it to describe where she was. „Please, Shawn, don´t call the police. I didn´t mean to kill him."

„Abby, we´ve _got_ to call the police." he said. „If it was self defence then …"

„No." she cried. „Please, no. I can´t …" and then there was this hysterical weeping again. A sound that made his heart ache worse than he ever thought it could.

„Abby." he said calmly. „Abby. Abby, listen to me. Abby, do you hear what I say?"

„Yeah."

„Don´t do anything stupid, okay? I´m on my way to you. Then we´ll see what we do."

„Okay." she sobbed obviously a little calmer than before.

„Stay where you are." he repeated already in the process of getting dressed. „You hear me? I´m on my way."

He left his appartement, mounted his motorcycle and raced to the place as fast as he could. God, what a mess. What was it that he always seemed to have ex-girlfriends who were either psychotic or in big trouble? Maybe he should asked his mom about this anomaly once in a while. That was just some weird stuff.

When he reached the cliffs, he drove along the promenade slowly, looking out for Abigale. To his left he could see the lines of small houses where the park ended, most of them dark and silent at this time of the night. To his right there was only the ocean, also pretty dark. Finally he spotted Abigale. She was standing near the cliff, massaging her elbows nervously. When she heard him coming she spun around to him and he could see the wet streaks in her face. She came running to him, threw herself into his arms and immediately started to weep again. It was dark but he had seen the blood on her hands and cloths at once.

„Oh, god, Shawn." she sobbed into his shirt. „I swear to you, I didn´t want it. I have no idea how that happened. Oh, god, what have I done?"

„Calm down, Abby." he tried to talk to her. „What happened? Where is … Where is the body?"

„I threw him over the cliff." she said pointing ahead with her bloody hand.

„You did what?"

„I didn´t know what to do. I just … I´m so sorry."

„Okay, okay. Slow down. Tell me what happened?"

„He called me. Said he wanted to meet me here. He wanted to convince me to do something. Something bad. Something illegal. I told him I wouldn´t help him. But he just wouldn´t let go. He said he knew you that was the only reason why I came here in the first place. But then …"

„He knew me?" Shawn repeated confused. „Who? What was his name?"

„Declan Rand. He said …"

„Declan?" Shawn cried. „You want to tell me that you just killed …" he couldn´t finish the sentence. He let go of Abby and rushed over to the cliff and looked down. The waves were pounding against the rocks deep down there, producing white foam when the water washed around the sharp rocks. If she really had thrown him down there, there was no chance that he could have survived it, even if he had been only wounded and not quiet dead. Shawn went down to his knees, still not able to take his eyes off that sight beneath him. Shit. Was he having a nightmare? Did his ex really just tell him that she had killed the ex of his girlfriend? Shit. What the hell had Declan even wanted here? He turned around and asked Abby that question.

„He was angry at you for something you did to him." she told him. „This case about the woman that got buried alive by her boyfriend?"

„He said that?" Shawn suddenly felt his legs give in and he found himself unable to stand up again. Instead he dropped down on his butt.

She nodded and he just couldn´t think of anything better to do than to let out a frustrated and desperate shriek. He couldn´t believe this was really happening. He just couldn´t believe it. He reached for his arm and pinched himself hard and that made him shriek again, because it hurt like hell.

„What are you doing?" Abigale asked confused.

„I wanted to make sure that this is not a dream." he said still squinting against the self-inflicted pain. Somehow he managed it to stand up again.

„Oh, Shawn." she sobbed and took his hands, coloring his hands as red as her own. He grimaced about this nasty feeling of blood on his fingers – Declan´s blood, oh shit, what the hell? – but didn´t dare to draw his hands away from her. She was so desperate. „What shell I do now?" she asked him over and over again. „Oh, god, Shawn. What shell I do?"

„Abby." he finally interrupted her as gently as he could. „Abby, we have to call the police."

„But they will think I killed him on purpose." she cried.

„Not if you explain them what happened."

„They won´t believe me." she cried. „But you believe me, don´t you? You believe me that it was an accident. Shawn?"

He wanted to answer, wanted to say yes, of course he believed her. But the truth was, he had no idea what he should believe and what not. Declan dead? Abby the killer? How the hell? She said he had attacked her somehow. Sure he had been mad when he had walked away from Shawn. But mad enough to attack Abby?

„You do believe me, Shawn, don´t you?" she asked him again, more emphasizing this time. Her hands were clinging to his fiercely. There was something in her eyes, something demanding, that he would have described as psychopathic if it hadn´t been Abigale who was talking to him. You are on my side, it demanded. Say that you are on my side.

But before he had a chance to say anything he heard horns approaching them. When the blue and red lights illuminated the place, Abby hid behind his back and accused him hysterically that he had called the police despite his promise that he wouldn´t. Shawn was still too confused to realize what was going on and how the hell the police could know that they were here.

„I didn´t call them." he told Abby and then he spotted the two detectives that came out of the blue car. Now he really believed he was dreaming. That just couldn´t be real.

„Spencer!" Lassiter cried when he saw him. „We got a call that there were screams. Some people were seen fighting. What the hell is going on?"

In that moment Abby looked out from behind Shawn´s back. Lassiter must have seen the blood on her or something. Shawn wasn´t sure what it was but suddenly Lassiter had pulled his gun and was shouting at Abigale to put her hands in the air. Shawn flinched at this sudden yell but Abby´s reaction was even worse. She screamed and threw herself to the ground, her hands shaking at the level of her head.

„All right. All right, I confess." she cried with a shaking voice. „I did it. I killed him. I killed Declan Rand. Please, don´t shoot."

„What?" Juliet cried in shock when she heard her words. She looked at Shawn and saw the blood on his hands and shirt. He wanted to say something, to explain what had happened and how he had gotten into this situation. But he had no freaking idea how or even where to start.

Lassiter was leaning over Abigale, putting some cuffs on her. When he looked up again, his gaze was stern and peeking. „What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, Spencer?" he asked.

And that was a damn good question. Shawn only wished he would have an answer.

...

Abigale sat in the interrogation room with an expression of utter emptiness on her face while the forensics took samples from the blood on her hands and from under her fingernails. She didn´t wake up the whole time. Not before Lassiter finally walked in and sat down opposite of her. She looked at him kinda frightened what was expected after he had threatened to shoot her only half an hour ago.

„Miss Lytar. Nice to see you again." he said rather gently and that seemed to ease her fear a little. She nodded at him as if to say: would be nice to see you too if it wouldn´t include being threatened with a gun.

„Would you mind telling me what happened?" he asked her.

She didn´t look into his eyes. „What do you want to know?" she asked with a soar throat.

„Well, how about how you killed Declan Rand?" Lassiter suggested. „You said you did kill him. Remember?"

Shawn bit his lower lip to not to groan about the whole thing. He still couldn´t believe that this was truly happening. Next to him Jules did the same. She was standing there and looked at the one-way mirror the same way Abigale had been standing at the cliff when Shawn had found her. Hugging herself, hands massaging her elbows.

It was impressive how good she kept herself together. Shawn had seen how pale she had went when Abigale had confessed that she had killed Declan. But except for that, Jules had not shown any other emotion than pure determination to find out what had happened. But Shawn knew her better than that. She was at least as shocked as he was and he was pretty sure that she wanted to cry. But she was a cop and she wouldn´t allow herself to brake down before this mystery was not solved.

On the other side of the one-way mirror, Abigale´s eyes were wandering over the table.

„I … I´m not sure if I killed him." she finally said.

„Excuse me?" Lassiter asked.

„We struggled." she said with a confirming nod. „And … somehow I wounded him." she raised her hands that had still the now dry blood on them. Shawn moved his fingers when he remembered the blood she had smeared on his hands. He had washed it off but it still felt odd.

„But then he slipped over the edge." Abigale now said. „I think he wanted to throw _me_ down. Or maybe not … I don´t know. I just know that his foot slipped … and then he just fell." She lowered her head and started to sob quietly.

Lassiter looked at her and then at the mirror out to them.

„That´s not what she told me." Shawn said. „To me she said, she threw him over the edge because she didn´t know what to do. After he was dead."

Jules was pressing her lips together and nodded. „Do you really think he is dead?" she asked him.

„I don´t know." he said honestly. „But if she really threw him over the edge …" he didn´t need to finish the sentence. Juliet had already understood. She nodded in agreement to his statement. But her thin lips betrayed her stern facade and made it obvious how painful this knowledge was for her.

On the other side, Abigale was now shaking her head vigorously, denying to answer any more of Lassiter´s questions. „I want to talk to Shawn." she demanded.

Shawn felt a knot in his stomach at the mere thought of going in there. He was hoping that Lassiter would deny that request of hers. But the detective seemed to have his sympathetic night, because he truly got up and left the room.

„You talk to her." he ordered him.

„Just like this?" Shawn asked startled.

„What? I´m not good when it comes about hysterical ex-girlfriends. This is yours not mine. You deal with her."

Shawn let out a humorless chuckle. „Thanks a lot, buddy." he said and passed him to leave the room. Not without throwing a last glance at Juliet though. She looked as miserable as he felt. Man, that was not his night. If he would have known, that he hadn´t faced the worst of it yet, he might have never entered the interrogation room.

When he did, not knowing what was waiting for him, Abigale´s face lit up. He smiled at her and closed the door.

„Hey, Abs." he greeted her and sat down. „How do you feel?"

„Shawn, what is going to happen to me?" she asked him.

„That depends on what you are telling them." he said strongly referring to the lies she had told so far, either to him or to Lassie. She didn´t seem to understand his hunch. So he decided to be a little clearer. „You didn´t tell Lassie the whole truth." he said.

She leaned forward with an expression on her face as if she wanted to say: are you crazy?

„I couldn´t tell them the truth." she whispered. Shawn wanted to tell her that it was useless to whisper in here, that they could hear everything she said very well outside. But he didn´t. Something in her eyes made him shut up.

„Don´t tell me that you wanted me to tell them the truth." she said now a little confused. He was confused too.

„Why shouldn´t I?" he asked with a chuckle.

„Shawn." she hissed. „Stop that. I took all the blame on myself, so please don´t mock me for that."

He was startled. What did she mean with that? She looked at him like one would look at a stupid child and leaned back in her chair. She looked still wasted but now she seemed much calmer than before.

„Don´t worry." she said reassuringly and then she leaned forward again. „I won´t tell them that you helped me to get rid of the body." she whispered.

„What?" he cried.

„You can trust me on this." she kept talking as if she didn´t even realize his shocked reaction. Shawn threw his head around and looked at the mirror. Then back at Abigale.

„What are you talking about?" he asked her and suddenly realized that he was whispering too as if he didn´t know exactly that they heard every word outside.

„You know what I´m talking about." she replied. „But you tried to help me and I will keep my promise. Don´t worry."

Shawn opened his mouth but he could only gasp. He looked back and forth between her and the mirror again, completely helpless in this situation. At last he cried out at her: „I didn´t do anything like that!"

Abigale remained absolutely calm. „Where else does the blood on you come from?" she asked him.

Shawn immediately looked down on his hands … which were of course totally clean. But his shirt wasn´t. She had smeared the blood all over him. And suddenly those marks seemed to look very guilty.

„That´s not true." he shouted and this time his words were meant for the people on the other side of the mirror.

„All right, that´s enough." Lassiter said when he entered the room again. Behind him Jules and chief Vick came in too. Shawn suddenly felt Abigale´s hands on his and jumped up from his seat.

„This is crazy." he said and backed off to stand with his coworkers. He suddenly felt freaked out by Abigale. When he looked at her, he saw disappointment in her eyes, because he had jumped away from her. It was obvious how hurt she was because of that.

Lassiter threw him an estimating glance and then faced Abigale again. „Miss Lytar." he said. „You are saying that Shawn here … was with you when you threw Declan over the edge, is that right?" he asked for confirmation.

Shawn chuckled over this fabulous joke old Lassieface had made. But when he looked into the detective´s face he could see that he had actually meant this question. For real.

„Lassie, that´s ridiculous." he cried. „I wasn´t even there when … when it happened."

„Shawn." Abigale cried desperately.

„No." he cried back at her. „Abigale, stop that. This is absolutely crazy."

There it was again. This hurt and disappointed look in her eyes. As if he had failed her in the worst possible way. And then her features hardened. Being disappointed had officially been replaced by being pissed. She scowled at him that it would have been worth a five on the Lassiter scala and then she faced Lassie himself.

„Yes, he was there with me." she said.

„What?" Shawn cried and chuckled nervously. „Abby. Why do you say that?"

„I´m not going to lie for you, Shawn." she said. „Not anymore."

„Would you repeat that statement in front of a jury?" Lassiter asked her.

„Carlton!" Juliet cried.

„Yes, I would." Abigale said sternly.

„Lassie!" Shawn cried in disbelieve. „You don´t believe her, do you?"

„Depends on." he said. „Do you have an alibi for the time of Declan Rand´s death?"

„Alibi?" Shawn repeated. „The time of his death? We don´t even have a body that could tell us the time of his death."

„The blood on your hands was still fresh." Lassiter recalled. „So it can´t be longer ago than half an hour before we reached you."

„Carlton, I don´t believe that you say that." Juliet cried placing herself next to Shawn.

„We have to investigate everything, O´Hara." Lassiter stated sternly.

„Chief!" she changed her course and looked at Karen Vick instead.

But chief Vick was uncertain herself. Shawn thought he had never seen her that startled and stern the same time, since this incident that had almost cost Lassiter his badge. Her eyes were trying to decide what expression they should show in this moment. And then they had decided. She looked determined. As always. And she faced Abigale.

„What you are saying is a serious accusation, Miss Lytar." she said. „I hope you are not just trying to get back at your ex-boyfriend or something like that. If it should turn out to be that, you will be charged for that as well. So I ask you one more time. Was he or was he not with you when Declan Rand fell from the cliff?"

The expression in Abigale´s face didn´t change a bit. „He was there with me." she repeated. „And he helped me throw him over the cliff. No body, no crime. That´s what he said."

Chief Vick looked at Shawn asking. He could only chuckle at the expression he saw in her face.

„That´s a joke, right?" was all he knew to say.

But of course it was no joke. Not at all.


	3. You have the Right to remain Silent

**You have the right to remain silent**

„Shawn." Gus cried when he and Henry rushed through the door.

„Gus. Dad." Shawn cried and jumped up from his holding cell bed. „Finally."

„Shawn. What the hell happened?" Henry demanded to know.

Shawn frowned and shook his head. „Didn´t chief Vick tell you?" he asked.

„Of course she told us." Henry snapped. „But I want to hear it from you. What happened?"

„Why don´t you ask my pretty little friend here?" Shawn pointed into the cell next to his. Henry and Gus followed his gesture and spotted Abigail lying on her own bed. She was facing the wall, lying absolutely still.

„Abigail." Henry addressed her harshly and went over to her cell. „Abigail."

She didn´t react.

„Don´t bother." Shawn said. „She´s awake. She just doesn´t want to talk to us. Isn´t that right, Abs?"

She still didn´t react.

„Abigail." Henry barked at her.

Now she really didn´t react.

„Shawn." Gus said quietly. „Is it really Declan?"

Shawn lowered his gaze. „Yeah, that´s what she said."

„Oh, god." Gus exhaled and shook his head in disbelieve.

„Shawn." Henry came back to him. „Tell me what happened. How the hell did you get yourself into this mess?"

„She called me." Shawn told him gloomy. „Somewhat around half past one last night. She was sobbing. She asked me for help. What was I supposte to do?"

„You could have called the police." Henry suggested a possibility.

„Dad, she´s my ex-girlfriend and she asked me for help." Shawn cried.

„So suddenly I am your girlfriend." Abigail cried and swirled around on her bed into a sitting position.

„I said ex." Shawn corrected.

„Abigail." Henry addressed her again. „What the hell were you thinking?" she didn´t give a response, only looked at him darkly. „Answer me, Abigail." Henry demanded.

She threw one last glance over to Shawn and then lay back down, facing the wall again and didn´t react anymore, no matter how often Henry yelled at her to turn around and talk to him.

„What is the matter with her?" Gus whispered.

„I have no idea." Shawn said. „Maybe she has a mental breakdown or something like that after she killed Declan. Don´t things like that happen?"

„They sure do." Gus agreed thoughtfully still looking at Abigail´s back. „But that …"

„I know." Shawn agreed and shook his head. „Dude."

„Don´t worry, Shawn." Henry said finally giving up on Abigail. „We´ll find out what happened. The coast guard is already looking for Declan´s body."

„What if they don´t find him?" Shawn wanted to know.

„Then you better hope that some psychologist can prove that she is crazy. Otherwise we have your word against hers and you know how that looks like in front of a court."

„Dad." Shawn cried. „I´m not going to court. They put me in here but that doesn´t mean they will sue me."

„Oh, they will." Henry assured him. „Except we prove your innocence."

„And we will." Gus promised. He took something out of his pocket and reached it through the bars. It was a small black bible. „Just … for the mental support." he said.

Shawn couldn´t help but smirked sadly at this. „Thanks buddy." he said and took the little thing that he knew he wouldn´t read anyway.

„I suggest the book Job." Gus said.

"But I´m not looking for a job." Shawn replied confused. Gus didn´t say anything.

„Hang in there, kid." Henry said. „We take care of this."

„You better." Shawn said. „Cause it doesn´t seem that_ I_ will be able to do very much right now."

Henry just nodded at him and then left. Gus told him one more time that he was sure everything would turn out okay and then gave him an encouraging fist bump.

„I wouldn´t be so sure about that."Abigail said when they were gone.

Shawn looked over to her and she was still lying on her bed, her back exposed to him without any change.

„Abigail, please turn around and look at me." he said. When she didn´t react he shouted at her: „Would you please turn around and LOOK AT ME!"

She didn´t react immediately but added a few more minutes of stubbornness for good measure. Eventually she moved and honored him with her attention. The expression in her eyes was still hard though. She glanced at the bible in Shawn´s hand.

„You´re not gonna read it, will you?" she asked.

„Why are you doing this?" Shawn asked ignoring the comment.

„Maybe you should read it." she said ignoring his question. „Gus is right. The book Job is a good thing to read. Its about punishment, you know. Punishment for your own sins."

„Abigail."

„Especially the sin of arrogance and profanity."

„Abigail, I asked you a question." he shouted.

„And I told you my answer." she shouted back jumping up and clinging to her bars that he skipped back. She seemed surprised about his reaction but in a positive way. She had scared him and that was something she could be proud of, she decided.

„What?" he asked. „What do you mean with punishment? For what?"

„What do you think?" she said and looked at him hard. She didn´t need to say much more. He suddenly knew exactly what she meant.

„It was _you_ who broke up with _me_." he recalled.

„I know." she said and suddenly her hard gaze was soft and sad again. „And I´m sorry. I know I broke your heart that day and I will never forgive myself for that. I was scared … and angry. But I was wrong to blame you for all that has happened. I know it wasn´t your fault."

„Then why are you claiming that I was with you yesterday?" Shawn shouted now even more confused than before.

„Because you didn´t stand up for me." she cried. „Was that too much to ask? That you would defend me? ME? The woman who you claimed you once loved? But instead you skipped away from me as if I had a catching decease. Do you have any idea how that hurts?"

„Abigail you said I had helped you get rid of the body." Shawn recalled.

„Didn´t you?" was all she replied.

„No, for cry out loud." he shouted again. „You must be delusional when you really believe that."

She just shrugged. „Well. Maybe Gus was right. Maybe I really suffer from PTSD."

Shawn was confused. „What is that? Some sort of herpes?" he asked. „You didn´t get that from me."

For a moment her hard expression broke and she started to laugh. In this moment she was the same Abigail again that he remembered. The girl with the cute and adorable laughter and the gentle eyes. She covered her mouth and then somehow swallowed that laughter and when she looked at him again she was back to serious. Only one small glimmer of the amusement he had just unwillingly caused was left in her eyes. But that one was fading away rapidly.

„I´m talking about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shawn." she explained to him.

„Oh." he finally understood. „So you admit that you are talking crazy."

„Maybe."

„This is great. Keep that in mind until Lassie and Jules can hear it."

„I won´t tell _them_." she said matter of factly.

„Why not?"

„Because you didn´t keep your part of the bargain."

„What bargain? We never had a bargain."

„We had." she insisted. „Two years ago we had one."

„Two … You´re talking about our relationship? You broke up with me!" he repeated once again.

„And now I give you the chance to make it right." she replied as if he had admitted that everything had been his fault.

„To make it right?" he couldn´t believe his own ears.

„You just need to say it and I will tell them a story that makes it good for both of us." Abigail said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. So simple that even a child could understand it.

„You …" he started but made himself stop and shook his head. That was just too much even for him. „How often do you think you can come up with a new story?" he asked her. „You already told two different versions."

„And?"

„And? God, Abby. Even if you would blame aliens now, it wouldn´t work."

„I don´t intent to blame aliens." she said as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

„Thanks god for that." he exclaimed.

„So what is it now?" she demanded to know.

„Excuse me?"

„What is your answer?"

„My answer?"

„Will you give us another chance or do you prefer to go to prison?" she asked.

He could only stare at her in disbelieve. „You can´t be serious with that." She just kept looking at him expecting. „Dear god, Abby what happened to you?" he cried in his desperation. „You became a crazy female Norman Bates from Psycho."

„Its your decision, Shawn." she said. „Choose a life in freedom or in prison."

„They won´t put me in jail." he told her confidently. „Because we will prove that you lied. And this is just investigative custody anyway. There isn´t even a charge against me so far. "

„Oh, there isn´t?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

„No, there isn´t." he replied but he felt irritated by her expression. What was she up to now?

She just looked at him for another moment and then turned to the door and shouted on the top of her lungs: „I want to talk to someone! Right now! Hello! I want to talk to someone! Anybody hear me? I want to talk! Hello! Hello!"

It was McNab who came running in, looking around completely startled. He was not the only one. Shawn had just put his hands down, after he had covered his ears with them.

„Officer, I want to talk to someone." Abigail demanded. „I have something to say. A change in my statement."

McNab threw a look at Shawn but he couldn´t tell him anything. He was as much in the dark as he was. Besides, Abigail´s glare at him somehow paralyzed him. He only heard the door fall shut when McNab left to get someone and a few minutes later someone came. A lot of someones. Lassie and Jules came of course – he looked into Jules´ eyes and knew that she was with him in his fears – but they were accompanied by Henry and Gus and even chief Vick had joined them. Obviously everybody wanted to know what this big announced reveal would be. Shawn could absolutely sympathize with their curiosity.

„One last chance, Shawn." Abby said but he was just not able to say anything. Did she really expect him to tell her that he still loved her right now? In front of Jules? Even if it wasn´t true? He stared at her and didn´t say anything. Abigail took that as a no and turned to the police.

„I want to deny my first statement." she said. „I lied when I said Shawn helped me to get rid of the body."

„All right, we listen." chief Vick said crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Shawn felt an absurd kind of exhilaration. Was she telling the truth after all? That he had not arrived before she had done all this all on her own? Was that what she was about to say? He looked into Jules´ eyes and saw the same kind of hope there. And for a moment, he really believed that exactly this would happen. And then Abigail started to talk.

„I didn´t kill Declan at all." she said. „He did. It was an accident. They were arguing and then …"

„What?" Shawn cried. "What are you telling, Abby? Stop that, this is not true."

„I´m sorry, Shawn." she said. „I tried to protect you because I know you didn´t want this. But now … I just can´t do this anymore." She started to cry – or pretended to cry. By now Shawn was convinced that all her crying had been fake since this whole mess had started.

„Could anyone please give us a coherent statement?" Lassiter demanded.

„The truth is …" Abigail started just before Shawn had a chance to speak. „The truth is that Declan and I … we were a couple. For quiet a while now."

„You what?" Shawn cried.

„When Shawn found out he couldn´t stand it." Abigail went on. „He was jealous. I told him it was over but … I don´t know. He kept calling me. And him."

„I did nothing like that." Shawn cried. „Jules."

„Shut it." Lassiter demanded.

„Lassie."

„I want at least one coherent statement in this case, just once." he cried back at him.

„When Declan and I met last night, he found us." Abigail went on as if the disturbance didn´t even happen. „They started to fight."

„You really want to tell us that Spencer here murdered Declan because he was jealous?" Lassiter asked.

„Outrageous." Juliet commented.

„No." Abigail denied, her face looking absolutely earnest. „No, it was an accident." she assured them. „I´m sure he didn´t want to kill him. But Declan … he had this very long key you know. It was for his garage I believe. And he fell into it. It was an accident. I tried to help him. That´s how all that blood got on me. But he was dead." she started to sob again. „Shawn dragged me away from him. He tried to convince me that he didn´t want it. And that I should stay down and not say anything."

„You can´t seriously believe that." Shawn cried but Lassiter only shushed him.

„When he heard the horns approach, he threw him over the edge." Abigail went on. „I was so scared and confused. I … I didn´t know what to do. I felt so guilty, that´s why I confessed that I had killed him. I … I don´t know anything anymore."

She started to cry again and went down to her knees. Everybody turned from her to Shawn and for a moment he just didn´t know what to say.

„Hey, guys." he then managed to bring out. „You … you can´t believe that. Can you? Jules? Dad?"

„Prove her wrong." Lassiter demanded.

„Tell me how." Shawn cried desperately.

„Well if you can´t provide us with anything …" Lassiter said.

„I can´t believe you are saying this." Juliet said and looked at her partner in disbelieve.

„This is Shawn we are talking about." Gus supported her.

„We have only these two statements." Lassiter defended his position. „And they both disagree with each other."

„You´re damn right they do." Henry barked.

„Still the only real point that we have in this case is the victim." Lassiter went on.

„Who is not found." Shawn recalled. When everybody looked at him in a sudden quietness, he frowned. „Or is he?" he asked fearful.

„We analysed the blood you had on your hands." chief Vick told him. „It is Declan Rand´s."

This information, though he had already known that there was probably no doubt about it, somehow threw Shawn off course. It was something final in these words that made him feel awful about that. For a moment everything was quiet except for Abigail´s sobbing.

„I´m afraid we have no choice here, Spencer." Lassiter said and made him look up again.

„What? What do you mean?" Shawn asked somehow numb. „You believe her?"

„No, he doesn´t." Juliet claimed and then looked at her partner. „We don´t."

„Last time we saw these two together, they had quiet an argument." Lassiter recalled. „We all heard it."

„That was about something else." Juliet cried. „Shawn, tell them."

But Shawn was still too struck by the fact that Lassiter – Lassie – actually believed that it could be true what Abigail had said. He surely would have expected anything from Lassiter, but not that he thought of him as a killer.

„I didn´t kill him." was all he managed to say.

„Of course you didn´t." Juliet agreed. „Chief." she addressed Vick when her partner didn´t seem to support her anymore.

„I also don´t believe that Shawn killed him." chief Vick said to Shawn´s and Juliet´s great relief. „But …" she went on. „Detective Lassiter is right. We have no proof for anything else but for the fact that a man had been killed. And as long as we have no other facts than that … I´m afraid I have no choice but to raise charges against both of them. For the murder of Declan Rand."

„What?" Shawn cried.

„Really?" Lassiter asked a little surprised.

„Karen." Henry cried.

„Chief." came the shocked cry from Juliet.

„Yes." Abigail cheered in her cell.

„Shawn." Gus cried looking at his friend with desperate eyes.

„Oh, no." was all that came out of Shawn´s mouth. His legs had started to shake and he wandered backwards in his cell until he reached his bed and dropped onto it completely boneless. Man, what a mess.


	4. Really? That is the Thanks I get?

**Really? That is the thanks I get?**

„I don´t believe this is happening, chief." Juliet said walking up and down in front of chief Vick´s desk.

„Juliet." Karen tried to calm the young detective down.

„I mean, this is Shawn we are talking about."

„O´Hara."

„After all what he has done for this department over the last few years."

„Detective."

„We should rather believe him than this obviously disturbed woman."

„Detective O´Hara." chief Vick stood up now and for the first time since she had stormed into this office, Juliet stood still and faced her. „I know how you feel." Karen said.

„I´m sorry, chief. But I doubt that you know how I feel." Juliet said with a shaking head.

Karen sat down again, eyeing her detective closely. „Well maybe not." she finally admitted. „But I assure you I am on Shawn´s side as well as you are. We. All. Are on his side." she emphasized. „But if we are honest he brought himself into this situation, all on his own."

„Chief, I can´t believe that you …"

„If it is true what he said." chief Vick talked over her sternly. „Then he should have called us from the beginning, right in the moment when Miss Lytar told him, that there had been a murder. But he didn´t call us and now there is just no way to prove who is telling the truth and who is lying."

„I know who is telling the truth." Juliet said.

Karen looked at her intimidating. „Are you sure about that?" she asked her.

„Chief." Juliet said calmly. „I would rather believe that the easter bunny had committed that crime than Shawn."

Karen gave her detective a long estimating look. Eventually she nodded. „All right, detective." she said with a slight smile, that immediately vanished again when she went on. „But we are bound to the regulations." she said. „And that means, we have to stay on the book with this."

Juliet lowered her gaze and Karen could feel the desperation in the younger woman.

„Believe me." she said. „I will do everything I can, to help him out of this. Everybody here will. And you will help him the best if you help us, O´Hara."

Juliet nodded. Her gaze was still on the floor. „Where is he now?" she asked.

„Carlton is questioning him in interrogation room A."

...

„All right." Lassiter said far too calmly for Shawn´s taste. „Just one more time. What exactly happened in this night?"

„I already told you three times." Shawn exclaimed exasperated. „I was in bed when Abigail called me. She was having hysterics and said that she needed my help."

„And what exactly did she say?" Lassiter asked, looking down on his notes as if he wasn´t sure if he wouldn´t find the answer there. What he should, Shawn knew. He had not stopped scribbling since they had started this ridiculous interrogation. He was sure that on some point he had already told him some of the things Abby had said on the phone.

„I already told you." he therefor said.

„You said she asked for your help, that´s all. I need details, Spencer." Lassiter insisted. „Come on, you know how that works."

Shawn groaned but tried to remember as best as he could. For a moment he heard Abby´s voice again, how she had sobbed on the other end of the line:

„_Its me, Shawn." _

„_Abigail? Abigail, what´s the matter? Abby talk to me." _

„_Oh, Shawn. I need your help. I didn´t know who to call."_

„_What happened?"_

„_Oh, god. Oh, god. I killed someone." _

_„What?"_

„_I know it. He´s dead. Oh god, Shawn. I don´t know what to do." _

_„What happened? Was it self defence?"_

„_Yeah. Oh please, you´ve got to believe me. I didn´t want to kill him. But he wouldn´t let go and I … I was just …"_

„And then?" Lassiter asked after Shawn had quoted the talk for him.

„I asked her where she was and that she should stay there until I was there."

„And the idea of calling us never crossed your mind." Lassiter said in the most sarcastic tone one could have managed in this moment. For the moment he had stopped scribbling on his clipboard and was now looking into Shawn´s eyes with pure irony.

„I was worried about a friend." Shawn emphasized.

„Your ex-girlfriend." Lassiter recalled with a nod and returned to his clipboard as if that was an information worth noting down. „Of course, that´s a different matter then."

„What the hell is your problem?" Shawn cried.

„Quiet." Lassiter ordered unimpressed by his outburst. „Not I am the one who has a problem here, Spencer. You are the one with the murder charge."

„I … I don´t believe it." Shawn cried.

„Oh, you better start believing it." Lassiter told him and this time there was more in his eyes than simple irony.

Shawn squinted. „You actually enjoy that, don´t you." he realized.

„Why not?" Lassiter replied frankly. „Finally the great Shawn Spencer is sitting on the other side of the table. Of course, I enjoy that."

Shawn couldn´t help but chuckled. But it was a dry and humorless chuckle. „You know, that is actually quiet funny." he said. „Or better yet it could be funny. But your little joke misses the same thing you always miss. A good punchline."

„Oh, just wait." Lassiter said. „Its still on the way."

„Dammit, Lassie, this is no joke." Shawn cried hitting the table. „Its my life we are talking about."

„Ah, yeah? Interesting. Last night you didn´t think so far."

„Oh, now all of this is my fault?"

„You could have called us." Lassiter repeated what he had already said.

„She asked me to come alone." Shawn recalled.

„What you promptly did." Lassiter replied. „And? Did this lead to any good?"

Shawn sat back and couldn´t respond. Of course it had not led to any good. He was here, there was no denying about that. But that Lassie was holding this against him now, now from all the times in the world, was just unbearable.

„I tried to help a friend." he repeated. „What would you have done? If it would have been your ex-wife that called you in the middle of the night?"

„Stop that." Lassiter demanded gloomy.

„Sobbing desperately and told you that she just killed a man in self defence?" Shawn went on mercilessly.

„This is not about me, Spencer."

„What would you have done?" he repeated the question louder than before.

„It doesn´t matter what I would have done." Lassiter snapped. „And I tell you what, in the end it doesn´t even matter what you could have done differently, because the charges stand and you will have to face court in front of a jury. That´s the reality of this, Spencer."

„You think I didn´t get this?" Shawn shouted at him.

„Then tell me how to prove your innocence." Lassiter shouted back at him. More calmly and back to his I´m the interrogating cop mood, he added: „IF you can prove your innocence."

Now Shawn was really struck. For at least a minute he couldn´t give another response. He just stared at Lassiter in utter disbelieve. The silence between them became tensing. Even Lassiter seemed to be uncomfortable with that.

„I don´t believe it." Shawn finally broke the silence. „I just don´t believe it. I mean I know I´m not on top of your list of your most favourite people in the world … but that you actually believe that I could have done … this. Lassie! Dammit, Carlton! Its me. We know each other for over five years. We saved each others lives over a hundred times."

„_I_ saved _your_ life over a hundred times." Lassiter corrected.

„I can´t believe that you believe this crazy chick more than me." Shawn finished his speech.

Finally there was something in Lassiter´s eyes that looked like consideration … or maybe regret that he had accused him? „If you had called us instead of just going there, you would never be in this situation." he then stated once more but this time he at least sounded empathetic for Shawn´s situation. „Now I don´t see anything we could do for you." he finished his statement.

Shawn sighed heavily and let his head sink. „There must be something we can do." he almost whined. „I mean … she told three different stories so far."

„And none of them in your fortune." Lassiter replied.

Shawn nodded, his head still hanging. Man that was truly the biggest mess he had ever been in. In comparison that was. His ex-girlfriend had gone nuts over him and he was facing a murder charge. Really big mess. Well done, Shawn, he could hear his dad´s voice in his head. And the worst thing was, he couldn´t even argue against it. Not this time. This time he had really messed up. And it wasn´t even his fault. Not really. He had only tried to help, for cry out loud and now he was screwed. Big deal. Damn, that was frustrating.

He was running his hands through his hair absent minded. And then he suddenly remembered something. It came back to him literally in a brainstorm. His head snapped back up. Lassiter who had justed looked over to the mirror, looked back at him, startled.

„Wait a second." Shawn demanded, his hand up. He was trying to think. „If she would confess that she did it alone. That would help, wouldn´t it?" he asked.

„Why should she do that?" Lassiter asked.

„She told me that if I came back to her … if I left Jules and came back to her, she would tell another story that makes us both innocent." Shawn explained.

„When did she tell you that?" Lassiter asked now interested.

„In the holding cell. Before she told you guys that I was the murderer."

Lassiter looked at him understanding his drift. Eventually he nodded. „Would be interesting to hear that story, now wouldn´t it?" he said.

...

It was somewhat about twenty minutes later that Shawn was escorted back into his cell. McNab closed the door behind him and after one last uncomfortable look at Abigail, who was sitting on her bed, leaning back, arms crossed before her chest, he left again.

„What did you tell them?" she asked in a chitchat tone when they were alone.

„What do you think I told them?" Shawn replied and sat down himself. „The truth of course."

„Your version of it."

„Oh, should I have told them one of your versions instead?" he snapped at her. „Which one would you prefer? The first one or the second? No wait. There is also a third one by now. I completely forgot."

„You can spare your sarcasm." Abigail said unimpressed. „They didn´t believe you, did they?"

Instead of giving a response, Shawn looked away from her and into a corner. Man, he was pissed.

„I thought so." was all she said to that. It sounded completely nonchalant and uncaring.

Shawn threw a look at her out of the corner of his eyes. Was that really the same Abigail he had known for so long? He didn´t recognize her anymore. Not a bit. „Why are you doing this, Abigail?" he asked her once again.

„I told you my reasons." she said.

„Dammit, I came to help you." he shouted at her, now losing the battle against his anger. „And that is how you thank me?"

„Its kinda pissing to help someone and then to get kicked for it, isn´t it?" she replied sharply. When he didn´t know what to answer, she changed her face from cynic to bored again. „Forget it." she said. „There is nothing more to talk about." And with that she lay down on her bed and exposed her back to him, as it seemed to be her new habit.

Shawn bit his lip against the frustration that wanted to creep up in him. Mylady had dismissed him once again. God he had always hated the silent treatment and in a situation like this it could be so unnerving. She knew that of course. She was used to treat little children like that. Shawn would have loved to shout at her now. But he had to keep up the act. If the plan was supposte to work out, he had to keep going.

„What if there is?" he asked her therefor. He had to make himself go on. „What if there is some more to talk about?"

Slowly she rolled over and looked back to him over her shoulder. „What do you mean?" she asked.

He got up and walked over to the bars that separated his cell from hers. „You were right, they didn´t believe me." he told her in a desperate tone. „I tried everything I could to convince them but at the end they have to stick to the evidence. And the evidence is damn freaking thin, Abs. Thanks to you by the way."

She only smiled at this. Shawn bit back a sarcastic comment and went on. „It doesn´t look good. When things keep going the way they are going now, we will both be in prison. I don´t freaking want to go to jail, Abs. And you don´t want to go there either. So please. I´m begging you. Tell them the truth. You said you could tell them something that lets us both walk free. A … forth version of what happened to Declan." He hesitated, looking at her but she didn´t say anything – yet. „What was it?" he asked. „How DID he die? Was it suicide?"

„Declan didn´t kill himself." she said dryly.

„Then what? Was it an accident? A mysterious stranger? What, Abby? Tell me."

She sat up now, looking him over estimating. „You really want to know what really happened?" she asked.

„Yes, Abby, I want to know." he cried.

„You want me to tell the police that you are innocent."

„And you too if it is true what you said earlier."

„Oh, it is true." she assured him.

„Then tell it. Call Lassie and the chief and tell them."

She gave him a long glance before she said: „You know my conditions. If I am supposte to tell them, you have to keep your side of the bargain too. Are you really ready for that?"

He hesitated. There was still a battle inside of him to go all the way through with that. A promise like that to someone as sick and twisted as she was, could be dangerous. Not just for him but also for Jules if it came down to the worst. He knew. But they had a plan and he was supposte to play his part in it. Lassie and the others were relying on him. So he stopped gritting his teeth and said: „Yes. I am ready to fulfil my part."

There was a tiny victorious smile on her lips. She got up from her bed and walked over to him. He had to make himself not to back away from the bars. Gratefully she didn´t try to touch him. She just stood there and looked up at him, smiling.

„Say it again." she demanded. „I want to make sure we understand each other."

He forced his jaws apart and said: „If you tell the police the truth about what happened … we will be together again." He forced a smile, what of course had to look awfully false. „I promise." he said.

She seemed absolutely satisfied. „All right." she said. And then she started to shout again, for someone to come down. Shawn pressed his hands over his ears until the door was opened. This time it was Lassiter who walked in right away, closely followed by McNab. The detective smiled at Abigail.

„You´ve been yelling, Miss Lytar?" he asked like a good butler.

„I have something that I need to tell you." she said.

„And what might that be?" Lassiter asked sweetly.

Abigail threw a glance at Shawn. „The truth." she said.

„All right, I listen." Lassiter promised.

„No." she said.

„Abs." Shawn cried clinging nervously to the bars. „You promised."

„Don´t worry, Shawn." she said as if he was once again totally overreacting. „I will tell it." She turned to face Lassiter again and explained: „But I can´t do it here. I can only show you. At the cliff, where it happened."

Lassiter raised an eyebrow and then exchanged a meaningful glance with Shawn. „I´ll talk to the chief." he then promised Abigail. „I´ll be right back. Don´t go anywhere."

With that he was out of the door and Shawn and Abigail were alone once again. He stared at her uncertain what to say. Her answer to that was a simple smile.

„Don´t worry." she said. „Now everything will be all right. Soon. You´ll see."


	5. The Big Reveal

**The big reveal**

The van was rumbling and rumbling along the streets. Shawn was sitting ob his bench with closed eyes so he wouldn´t have to puke. His stomach had never liked it to drive without a window to look out. To turn his thoughts away from his stomach, he tried to recapitulate everything that had led him here. Everything starting with the mean trick he had played on Declan two days ago. Their argument at the station and Abby´s life altering phone call last night. God had this really been only last night? How was it possible that all of this could have happened in such a short time? What time was it now? It had to go for five p.m. now. Damn, he just hoped that the plan would work out. For a moment he opened his eyes and threw a glance over at Abigail. But then his stomach made its way back into his memory and he closed his eyes again, keeping them shut until the van finally stopped.

The place looked different in the bright daylight. That was the first thing Shawn noticed when he and Abigail climbed out. He had to be careful to not to fall over the chains that were on his wrists and ankles. With friendly regards from Lassie who had somehow managed to get hands on two orange overalls as well. One for him and one for Abigail. So no one would even get the idea this gathering could be anything else but a open air trial for two heavy criminals ala Hannibal Lecter and O.J. Simpson.

McNab helped them down the ramp so they wouldn´t fall. When chief Vick saw their new costumes she threw an asking glance at Lassiter, who just stood there, grinning proudly over his great setup. Eventually his grin widened in an apologetic way. „Sorry." he said. „I couldn´t resist. But its pretty good, isn´t it?"

„We can be glad that he didn´t organise a face mask as well." Shawn tried to joke.

„Oh, I thought about that." Lassiter assured him. „Unfortunately they were all needed in St. Quentin."

„Funny." Shawn said. „If I would have known that I find your sense of humor under the crushed remains of my hope, I would have stopped searching it a long time ago."

Lassiter just grinned about that and that finished Shawn off. What the hell was the matter with that guy? This was his last chance of getting away from a murder charge and he stood there and made fun of him. Didn´t he see the seriousness in this? How could a man this age act so childish, especially in such a situation?

Vick only shook her head in exasperation over her detective´s behavior. But wasn´t there a slight smirk on her lips too or was that just Shawn´s imagination? But even if there was none on her´s. There was definitely one on Gus´ and his dad´s. It was almost as if they would enjoy this whole thing. Even McNab was biting the inside of his cheek to not to smile. What the hell? Lassie´s joke hadn´t even been that good. The only one that was not amused, was Jules. At least someone who realized that his life was on stake with this.

„All right, Miss Lytar." chief Vick eventually said. „We are all here. Now please tell us what happened."

Abigail threw a glance at Shawn. A far too amused glance by the way. What was that? The snicker about Shawn day? TODAY?

„Very well." Abigail said and walked into the middle of their group. It was as if they had formed a circle for her. Her of the big reveal story teller. „It was around … quarter to ten, I think." she started. „Two days ago. My phone was ringing and when I answered it, a man introduced himself to me. He said he was a friend of Shawn."

„Declan." Juliet spoke it out.

„Right. He apologized for calling me that late at night. He was very polite. He told me that Shawn had played a very mean prank on him."

„What prank?" Lassiter demanded to know.

„He said, he had helped him with a case, and after that, Shawn had sent him somewhere with an urgent assignment, of what he claimed would be essential for the case. But instead he sent him somewhere to have him out of the way and when Declan realized that … he was angry of course."

„Sure." Henry agreed.

„Who wouldn´t?" Gus supported him.

„Hello?" Shawn cried. „Is it me who is to be judged here?"

„We will see who will be judged, Spencer." Lassiter replied scowling. „And now shut up."

„Please, go on, Miss Lytar." chief Vick said.

„Well, Declan said he wanted to somehow get back at Shawn for this dirty trick."

„Dirty trick! Now that is too much!" Shawn cried offended.

„Those were his words not mine." Abigail explained with an apologetic shrug.

Juliet turned to Shawn with a thoughtful face. „Did you really do what she said?" she asked him.

All the sudden Shawn´s defensive mood was gone. Now he only felt ashamed. A few times he opened his mouth to say something but didn´t find the words he wanted there. The words that could excuse what he had done so he wouldn´t look all that guilty anymore. Her eyes. She was looking at him in such a disappointed way that he just couldn´t defend himself for what he had done, even if he had wanted it.

„I´m sorry." he finally said. „I … I didn´t mean it. I was just …"

„You never mean it, do you Spencer?" Lassiter said with his arms crossed over his chest.

„I´m sorry." Shawn cried now back to defensive mood. „Don´t you think that I´m sorry? That was the last thing I did to him before he died. Of course I´m sorry."

„Miss Lytar, please go on now." chief Vick said turning back to Abigail.

„He asked me for my help." Abigail said. „When I said I wasn´t sure, he asked me if we could meet, so he could convince me. I agreed reluctantly. But he was such a polite guy, I just couldn´t say no. So we met. Here."

„And you refused to help him." Shawn assumed.

„No." Abigail said and threw him totally off balance. „I agreed to help him."

Shawn had no idea where he was and what he was hearing any longer. „Then what …?"

„I´ve known you for a very long time, Shawn." Abigail said completely reasonable. „And the way he explained to me what you had done to him, he convinced me to see his point. You really needed to get something back."

„And that was long overdue." Lassiter agreed.

„Carlton, please." Juliet said. At least one person who was still on his side, Shawn thought. None of the others were very helpful right now.

„When did you start to struggle with him then?" Shawn asked Abigail.

„We didn´t struggle." she chuckled. „I told you. I agreed to help him. So we called chief Vick and arranged a meeting for the next day."

„WHAT?" Shawn cried in a voice that was slightly higher than he had ever believed his vocal chores could work. He looked at chief Vick in shock but she was looking back at him with no change at all. Neither his nor Juliet´s shocked faces seemed to effect her very much. Lassiter was back to grinning.

„Sorry, kid." Henry finally spoke up. „But we thought it was time for you to learn a lesson. Because the truth is, you always treat people like that and when Declan came to us with that proposal …"

„Wow wow wow wow." Shawn interrupted completely taken aback. „Just one freaking second. You knew about that? You all?"

„That´s a joke right?" Jules supported him in his disbelieve. „Carlton!"

„I´m sorry, O´Hara." Lassiter said with the widest grin Shawn had ever seen on this man. „But you were obviously the only one we couldn´t let in on this. You would have told him."

Shawn just spit out a laugh at this. He looked around but he saw the same expression on every face he chose. It was true. Goddammit it was true.

„I just don´t believe what I´m hearing." he emphasized. „You mean that whole thing was a setup? That you all were conspiring against me? Chief!"

„I´m sorry, Mr. Spencer." she replied. „But as your father said. It was about time that you learned a lesson."

Shawn just stared at her with an open mouth. Lassiter was still grinning widely. No need to ask him why he had gone along with that. His father had said his opinion. But …

„Gus!" he cried.

„You won´t hear an apology from me, Shawn." his friend said at once. „That´s my get back at you for all the pranks you played on me over the last years."

„And on me." Lassiter agreed.

„And on me." Henry went on. „And on everybody else for that matter."

„I … I don´t believe it." was all Shawn knew to say. „You … You made that up? And you!" he turned to Abigail again. „What was your reason? Don´t tell me that you really did this to get me back."

„God, no." she snorted. „I have a boyfriend."

„But then … why this whole I-want-you-back talk?"

„Oh, that was just so you would believe that I had a motive for all that crazy stuff I did." she said.

„And that was the best acting I ever had the pleasure to watch." Lassiter commented. „Great cinema." He started to applaude for her and one after the other the rest of the group joint him – except for Shawn and Juliet of course, who were still too shocked to even understand what was going on. Abigail blushed over so much praise and made a grateful curtsey before her audience.

„Would you stop that?" Shawn shouted slowly losing his mind over all this. „You want to tell me that …" he looked again from one of them to the other but didn´t find any help there. „And what about Declan?" he finally asked.

„I´m here." was the answer that made him flinch and spin around in shock.

Declan just came walking towards them, completely calm, his hands in his pockets and a smile on his lips that was so Declan that Shawn thought he had to faint right here and now. Another guy was with him. Shawn had never seen him before. The guy left Declan´s side and walked over to Abigail, kissed her and lay an arm around her.

„Hey, hon." he greeted her. „Everything all right?"

„Better than that." she said and looked at Shawn with the brightest eyes he believed he had ever seen on her. That was the Abby he knew. „Shawn, this is Don." she introduced him. „My fiancé."

Shawn could only nod at Don. For something as complex as words he still hadn´t found his voice again. He stared at Declan who was glowing like a Christmas tree.

„Gotcha." was all he said and Shawn couldn´t do anything but blink. Was that really happening?

„I don´t believe it." he heard Jules´ voice next to him.

When Declan remembered her, he flinched and his smile faded a little. „Oh, of course." he said and quickly walked over to her. „I´m really sorry that we had to deceive you too, Juliet." he said. „It was just … Sure you´ll understand that we couldn´t have done it, if you would have …"

But more he couldn´t say. Juliet´s fist had effectively prevented him from saying any more. Everybody flinched in sympathy when his head flew backwards and when he dropped down to the ground, out for the count, Shawn found that finally his voice had returned to him. He was smiling widely at the scene before him. No matter how this had started but that little act had made it all up for him.

„That´s my girl." he said. God, he was so proud of her.

...

„Buzz, give me that knife over there." Henry pointed at the table while he tried to keep the steaks from frying black. „No, the other one. The one next to the plate. No, the other plate. Oh, forget it I get it myself."

The young officer sat back down, an embarrassed expression on his face. Henry hurried over to the long barbecue-table and back to the barbecue to take care of the meat. Bruce, Declan´s personal meat chef had offered his help but Henry had soon taken control of the barbecue, explaining to the high cuisine chef how to properly fry a good steak. The fact that this was not his garden and not his barbecue didn´t make any difference for him. The man was just not able to sit down and let a servant serve him. Not if he could order him around instead. Not even chief Vick´s suggestion to let Declan´s man do the work, since they all were guests in the millionaire´s home, had done much good. Henry had only explained to her that this cook needed some tips from a real specialist.

„I still don´t get it." Shawn now said while Henry put the big plate with a heap of steaks in the middle of the table. „I mean … how did you … I mean …"

„Sorry, Shawn." Abigail chuckled, still not able to put the funny part of the whole thing behind her. „I had to stick to that crazy ex-lover part to have something convincing in my acting. I mean you bought it, didn´t you?"

„You can say that twice." He looked over to the big glassy door of Declan´s house. „Was that his idea or yours?" he wanted to know.

„Oh, no, that was me." she said. „I had to improvize that, when you asked me for what I want from you." she had to restrain a new burst of laughter this time about herself. „To be frank, we didn´t think about that part when we came up with the plan." she admitted.

„Yeah." chief Vick agreed with a look of puzzlement on her face. „We totally overlooked that. We were so busy figuring out how to make the whole thing work technically that it just … slipped our mind. Honestly how could we forget that?"

Lassiter just shrugged as if to say `never mind´ and so did Abigail. „But it somehow worked out, didn´t it?" she said.

„Thanks to you, Miss Lytar." Karen replied and raised her glass at her.

„That´s what you call improvizing?" Shawn cried in disbelieve. „We spend the night in a holding cell."

Abigail shrugged. „It was just the only way to convince you that all of this was real."

„Well, mission accomplished." was all he said and that made her giggle again.

„I´m so sorry, Shawn." she brought out between her giggles. „If you just knew how hard it was to keep a straight face all the time. I wanted to burst out laughing so many times." Her laughter was catching and soon the whole table was laughing – more or less.

„I don´t find that so damn funny." Shawn stated and made them laugh even more.

„Only because it was you who got fooled this time." Gus said.

„You better wait until next time, buddy." Shawn threatened. „I´ll think of something really good, just for you."

„I am frightened." Gus emphasized grinning widely.

„You should be." Shawn tried to keep up his act, failing pathetically.

„Don´t forget that you didn´t just fool him." Juliet spoke up now and Shawn pointed at her in agreement, grateful for this support. „I don´t believe you all were in on this." she cried looking at her partner.

„O´Hara, I´m really sorry that it had to be like that." Lassiter emphasized holding his hands in a gesture of please forgive me. He looked at Shawn and the laughter was back in his eyes. „But on the other hand I´m not sorry at all." he said. „Cause let´s be honest, those were the best two days since … like … ever." Having said that he grinned from ear to ear as it seemed and that grin was meant for Shawn only. Shawn gave him a pissed face and delighted the detective even more.

„But …" Juliet threw up her hands. „How did this even work? I mean …"

„I thought we already explained that to you." Declan spoke up. He had just come back from inside where he had fetched some very special and probably highly expensive mayonnaise. He put the bottle on the table. Gus immediately snatched the bottle to cover his potato salad in the tasty mass. Declan took his seat next to Shawn. He wore a bandage over his nose, where Juliet had hit him. The harder was it for Shawn to understand how he could smile so brightly.

„I only don´t understand how you could convince the chief." Juliet said now.

„Yeah." Shawn agreed turning to chief Vick. „What did he say to you? Or did he pay you for it?"

„Do you indicate that the chief of police was bribed, Spencer?" Lassiter asked in a low voice.

„Then how?" Shawn cried.

„Do you remember the last disaster you caused the department with your recklessness?" chief Vick asked in response.

„You mean the Barryman case?" Shawn frowned. He thought this over for a moment. „Oh." he then said. „And that justifies _that_?"

„Not on its own. But in combination with all the other things you did over the years. Don´t get me wrong. I don´t expect you to learn anything from this little joke we played on you. I know you far too long to believe anything like that. But at least you won´t forget that we can get back at you. This time it was only a joke. Next time …"

„Don´t worry, chief." Shawn raised both hands. „I learned my lesson."

She smiled at him. „No." she said and made him frown. „You didn´t."

„He never will." Lassiter agreed. „But that´s all right. It was well worth it."

„I still don´t understand how you could do that." Shawn ignored the detective´s statement. „I mean … wasn´t that kinda illegal? I mean you were using ressources of the department."

„Hardly." Henry said finally sitting down himself.

„We didn´t have any urgent cases to work." Karen explained. „If anything would have come up we would have stopped immediately of course. But fortunately nothing came up."

„And since Declan asked for our permission it was not illegal at all." Henry added. „He promised it wouldn´t need longer than a day."

„So it was you who put this on me." Shawn said facing the chief. „If you hadn´t given your okay, nothing of this would have happened."

„You put this on yourself." was her answer to that. „Don´t you dare to lay any of this on me."

Shawn just smiled at her.

„What about the blood?" Juliet wanted to know. „You told me the lab said it was Declan´s." she recalled facing Lassiter, who immediately raised his hands.

„That was pigs blood." Declan answered the question. „I have a friend that owns a slaughter house and he provided me with the stuff. Pretty nasty I know but I wanted it to be realistic. The old colored corn syrup trick doesn´t convince anyone anymore. At least not our genius Shawn here."

„You got that right." Shawn said not sure if he could allow himself to acknowledge the compliment.

„And the lab never got the samples." Vick added to the explanation. „I called them off as soon as they were out of the door. Told them it was a mistake and that there was no case any longer."

„Seems it has some advantages to have the chief of police on board." Shawn guessed. After that he turned to Declan again. „And what do I do with you now?" he asked.

Declan shrugged like the impersonated innocence. „How about a helicopter flight?" he suggested.

Shawn´s smile faded away immediately. „Get outahere!" he exclaimed and immediately got a kick from Juliet´s elbow. „I mean … no. Of course not. Forget it. That is far too less to pay us off for that kind of torture."

„Come on, kid." Henry spoke up. „You have no reason to be mad at Declan. He already invited all of us to this barbecue and he apologized to both of you. Get over it. Though I still think the apology was not needed, since it was your own fault. The apology to you was all right." he added facing Juliet.

„How about a vacation?" Declan suggested still trying to negotiate. „For you two."

Shawn looked at Juliet not sure if he could dare to show his excitement over this offer. She gave Declan an estimating look. „You think you can buy my forgiveness?" she asked.

„Its a five star spa hotel up in Canada." Declan emphasized.

Juliet´s eyes went wide at this and her jaw dropped open. She glanced at Shawn who still tried to restrain his excitement by pressing his teeth together. After another moment of consideration, she allowed herself to shrug in a way as if she wanted to say completely nonchalant: If you put it this way. Shawn let go of his withhold cry of excitement and kissed and hugged her vigorously, jumping up and down on his seat.

„That doesn´t mean that I will forget that." Juliet emphasized pointing at Declan.

„Of course not." he said smiling. „And I once again want to express my sincerest apologies. To both of you." he added.

„Yeah, me too." Abigail agreed. „I´m sorry. Especially to you Juliet. You were only collateral damage so to say and that was not fair. He was the intended target after all." she looked at Shawn and the sparkle of amusement was back in her eyes. And this time even Shawn couldn´t restrain a chuckle when he thought back on what she had said and convinced him about. It was unbelievable that he had bought all that. Now, it seemed so obvious.

„Just a question." Gus spoke up, raising his hand as if in school. „There isn´t another room vacant in said hotel by any chance?"

„Dude!" Shawn cried.

„Yeah, that´s a good question." Henry agreed looking interested himself now.

„Dad!"

„I have some unused vacation time, Shawn." Henry told him.

„So do I." Gus agreed.

„Me too, by the way." Lassiter spoke up and now even Karen looked interested as if she was seriously thinking about a nice vacation in Canada.

„What would you say, Don?" Abigail asked her fiancé. „Can you get your passport ready in two days?"

„Sure." Don said at once. „That´s really generous of you, Declan."

„Please." Declan said. „Don´t mention it."

„Man, I am overdue for some relaxing time." Gus said. „Also thanks to you, Shawn."

„Dude." Shawn cried unable to believe what was just happening around him. „He tried to bribe us with a romantic weekend for two and you guys seriously want to tag along?"

„I don´t care what you two do when we are up there." Gus replied. „I only want some massages and a hot sauna."

„That sounds like a good idea." Henry agreed as well as some of the others.

„We?" Shawn repeated. „You mean me and Jules. You´ll stay here. All of you."

„Well, I guess that´s not up to you, is it?" Gus said and turned to Declan. „Declan …"

„Don´t you go Declan." Shawn talked over him

„Don´t you shush me." Gus talked over him in reverse and soon the argument was going on the way it was so well known when these two were sitting on the same table with each other. Over Declan´s mansion the night slowly settled down while the group of friends and coworkers kept celebrating over the fire in the huge barbecue and a smothering and juicy roast boar on the skewer.

* * *

><p><strong>I know this ending is kinda like Asterix but who cares. Just imagine Curt Smith bound and gagged dangling from the tree and the picture is perfect. <strong>

**And to all of you who followed me through this insanity, I´d like to say two things: **

**1. Gotcha! Because most of you really bought this deceive I´ve woven here and man that feels good! I wrote that story in maybe two days and had fun with it for over a week. Thanks for that.**

**and 2. Thanks for reading.**


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